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Those who decried the expansion of the European Championship maybe did not take into account the energising effect it would have on smaller nations.

Wales might well have made it into a 16-team tournament - although they haven’t officially qualified into a 24-team tournament yet, of course - but going into a campaign knowing you have a more realistic chance of getting through must be a huge fillip.

Bale, his team-mates, Coleman and his backroom staff sensed an opportunity to go down in Welsh footballing folklore and have all but grabbed it.

For all the material trappings of his club success, Bale knows there can be nothing like making history.